After a sold-out first weekend, the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry pilot will return Saturday and Sunday, providing residents and visitors a scenic and efficient way of crossing the Hudson and connecting the two riverfront communities.

The pilot, which brings back ferry service for two weekends, is the latest development in an 18-month-long push to revive the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry for good. In January 2025, the Beacon-side dock was damaged by ice and rendered inoperable. Rather than repair it, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced last July that ferry service would be discontinued indefinitely, citing low ridership and high operating costs.

The popularity of the pilot during its first weekend was “proof positive” of the high demand for the service, said Carson Carter, spokesperson for the grassroots Save the Ferry Community Coalition.

“We have an MTA policy decision for this region that is not answering what people on the ground know to be true — there is a lot of demand and frankly, a lot of need for this service,” Carter said.

Operated by New York Boat Company, of Peekskill, the ferry transported 38 passengers across the Hudson 14 times each day last Saturday and Sunday. Riders boarded the ferry for $1 one-way and checked out a variety of ongoing events, including Archtober Newburgh, Newburgh Porchfest, Art on the Block, Spirit of Beacon and the Beacon Farmers Market, Carter said.

“We had so many events on both sides of the river; the weather was great — it was the best of both possible worlds,” he said.

New York Boat Company owner Austin Haase was instrumental in getting the pilot funded, Carter said. With the agreement with Haase in place, the Orange County Industrial Development Agency agreed to match up to $100,000.

The ferry service for the two weekends cost about $35,000, Carter said, half of which came from the IDA. The remainder was donated by Central Hudson, the Fullerton Foundation and individual supporters.

While the MTA implemented a free shuttle service to help people cross the river, that trip is longer and not practical on the weekends, Carter said. With several housing projects underway in both cities, demand for public transportation will increase further, he added.

“It’s really up to the governor to decide that this is something worth investing in and to put pressure on MTA,” Carter said.

In December, Save the Ferry delivered nearly 2,000 documented expressions of support to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office, including more than 1,700 signatures, letters of support from a dozen organizations and 70 businesses, and resolutions from Orange County, Dutchess County, the town of Newburgh and the city of Beacon.

One of the biggest obstacles the group has faced is infrastructure, Carter said. Newburgh received $2 million in state funding to build a deep-water pier, but the project is still in the permitting phase. Meanwhile, Beacon is still working on making repairs to its dock, Carter said.

Over the winter, Save the Ferry plans to continue advocating for the long-term restoration of the ferry and helping to get the Newburgh landing project through the permitting process.

The upcoming weekend ferry will board in Beacon at the Sloop Club dock. In Newburgh, the ferry will use the Riverfront Marina. Tickets are available online at dub.sh/ferry-tickets.

© 2026 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.)
Visit www.timesunion.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.